Family, Coffee, and Snowflakes
by WellDeservedObscurity
Summary: Rory writes a paper on her family.


Disclaimer: Not mine. But in my mind, they sometimes hang out with the guys from _The West Wing_.

The idea came from a paper I recently had to write. The family I am related to is one that I have grown up 500 miles away from. The people I really consider being family are the myriad of adopted aunts and uncles and close friends. As the saying goes, friends are the family you get to choose.

I noticed that both stories I have posted take place around Christmas time, it wasn't done on purpose, just happened. Well, that and Christmas is my favorite time of year, and I love the music, so I might have been listening to Christmas music when I wrote this. (Yes, I wrote this in June, I know I'm a freak…)

"I have to write a paper about my family."

Luke Danes placed a cup of coffee in front sixteen-year-old Rory Gilmore and regarded his younger friend for a moment.

"I fail to see where this is a problem."

Rory shrugged. "I'm just now getting to really know my family. I'm not sure how to write it."

Luke nodded. "Can't help you there. You'll figure it out, you always do." He picked up a fresh pot of coffee, topped hers off, then moved on to other customers. Rory finished her coffee, laid a couple dollars on the counter under the empty cup, and hopped off her stool.

"See you two at supper?" Luke asked, referring to Rory and her mother, Lorelai.

"More than likely." Rory called over her shoulder, heading out the door and towards her home.

Stars Hollow was decked out for Christmas, only two weeks away. Lights, silver snowflakes, and vibrant wreaths were tastefully strewn throughout the town square. A large Georgia pine was decorated in the center of the gazebo. Rory stood for a minute, slowly spinning in a circle to take in her hometown's décor, a smile spreading over her face. Miss Patty was directing her class of children for the town's Christmas play. Jingle Bells was floating out of the open studio. Taylor Doose's market was packed, not unusual for a Friday afternoon, the sounds of Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton singing "I Believe in Santa Claus" was wafting out of the constantly opened and shut door. Glancing around, back towards Luke's, she watched him setting a plate of fries down in front of a customer. Even Luke, this year, had allowed some Christmas decoration into his diner. Well, actually, Lorelai had whined, looked pathetic, and pleaded until Luke had placed a small tree in the corner, sparsely decorated. Since then, several stands of garland, a few tiny golden stars, and one really cute stuffed penguin, wearing a blue scarf and hat, had appeared in various spots throughout the diner, all courtesy of one Lorelai Gilmore. Rory smiled at Luke, even thought he didn't see her, in a burst of sudden affection for the man that cared so much for her and her mother, then took off for home. She knew what her paper would say.

_ I have two families. In one family, the one I share my blood with, the family that gave me my name, my hair and eye color, my skin tone, I am Lorelai Leigh Gilmore. I am the granddaughter of Richard and Emily Gilmore. My mother is Lorelai Gilmore and my father is Christopher Hayden. I am a Gilmore, which carries the weight of tradition and family that until a year ago, I didn't understand. This is a strong name from a strong family. Until a year ago, when my mother and I started to attend weekly Friday night dinners, I was without a past. My grandparents give me roots, they show me where I come from, what I am. They show their affection in material things, money, books, schooling. They love me, and support me, and I am a lucky person to have them. I might not have the grandmother that makes cookies, or the grandfather who read me stories, but they are wonderful just the same and there aren't any people in this world that I would trade them for. My father is a dreamer, and a drifter. He loves me, but he isn't often here for me. I long ago stopped resenting that fact. If I am to love my father, if I am to have a relationship with him, then I have to accept that my father will always be a buddy, but never a parent. My mother is Lorelai Gilmore, a blue-collar worker, a young, unwed mother, raising a daughter at the same time that she herself is growing up. She sacrifices herself, allowing her pride to be trampled upon time and again so that I may know where I come from, so that I may have a relationship with her-and my- family. _

It is my second family though, that shows me who I am. It is in this family that I am Rory Gilmore. The name means little to them, nothing more than a verbal identification. They don't give me any of my physical features, but they give me life. This larger, slightly more eccentric family is just as proud, just as important, as my other family. This Stars Hollow family consists of Sookie St.James, one of my mom's best friends. She is always ready with warm food and a hug, a sympathetic shoulder, or a gleeful laugh. "I love you," flows easily from her. It is from her that I inherit my giddiness for life. My mom's other best friend is just the opposite, but a beloved and cherished member of the family just the same. Luke Danes is always ready with a witty comeback. He keeps me moving with endless cups of coffee, and in his own way, says, "I love you" a million times. A specially baked coffee cake, a saved batch of blueberry pancakes, or an after hours pot of coffee are his ways. Luke has been hurt so many times, but he continues to put himself out there, loving, however grudgingly, even when he knows he may get hurt again. It is from Luke that I inherit bravery. Miss Patty, town gossip, knows more about the local happenings than most newspapers. She has an exotic, flamboyant personality that stands out in my small town. It is from her that I inherit the strength to be myself. Babette and Morey are our neighbors. They are night and day, Babette short and plump, Morey, tall and angular. Babette is talkative, Morey is stoic. Babette shows her affection, Morey silently gives it. They give me the ability to appreciate the individual. Most importantly, above the rest of the wonderful people that I am blessed to love and to be loved by, is my mother, Lorelai Victoria Gilmore. She too, is different in Stars Hollow. In this town, she is just Lorelai Gilmore, no attachments. She isn't ostracized because she was a young, unwed mother, she is celebrated because she overcame it. She isn't looked down upon because she works at a hotel, she is congratulated because she runs the Independence Inn. My mother, besides giving me my blue eyes and brown hair, gave me pride. No matter what happens, I am Rory Gilmore, and I can take anything that this world wants to throw at me. There is nothing that I can't overcome, there is nothing that I cannot do.

My first family shared a house. They ate under the same roof, slept under the same roof, and struggled with each other under that roof. One member fled that family, and in doing so, gave me that second family. My second family has never shared a home. We come together for parties, we gather for town meetings, we occasionally sit in the same diner. The two families may never gather for a reunion, they may never celebrate a holiday together, or share a last name, but they are family just the same. The saying, I believe, is that blood is thicker than water. That may be true, but I believe that love is thicker than blood.

Rory watched her mother finish reading the paper. Luke, ever-present coffee pot in hand, was reading over her shoulder.

Both adults nodded appreciatively. "Very good." Luke smiled, wandering off to wait on other tables.

Lorelai reached over and squeezed her daughter's hand. "Thank you."

Rory blushed, taking her paper back from Lorelai and sliding it into her folder before depositing it into her backpack.

Luke reappeared and sat a to-go cup of coffee down for Rory.

"Where's mine?" Lorelai looked scandalized.

"You don't get any."

"Rory did! Why did Rory get coffee and not me?"

"You don't get coffee because I am punishing you." Luke turned and walked back to the counter.

Lorelai jumped up after him. "What did I do?"

Luke silently pointed to the stuffed penguin.

"What does Chilly Willy have to do with my lack of caffeinated wonderfulness?"

"Patty saw it. I haven't heard the end of "how cute!" or "isn't it sweet that Lorelai gave you a stuffed animal" since you put that thing in here."

Lorelai started to laugh.

Luke held the coffeepot out of her reach pointedly, causing Lorelai to stop laughing and turn pleading eyes towards him. "No," Luke said. "The sad face will get you nowhere."

"Luke! I can't start out my day with just a pot of coffee. I have to have at least three cups in here!"

"You don't need anymore caffeine! Besides, this stuff will kill you."

"Rory got coffee. Are you trying to kill Rory?"

"Rory is young, she will get over it." Luke retorted.

"I'll kill you if I don't get any." Lorelai paused, "Oohhhh. Dirty."

"You're sick."

Rory, suddenly standing in between them, interrupted the two. She held her cup out towards Luke, who quickly refilled it.

Rory put the lid back on her cup and stepped away. "Please continue."

Rory watched from outside the diner for a moment. Lorelai had apparently won the argument, because she was now siting at the counter, coffee cup in hand. Luke was leaning on the counter, talking to her. Smiling, Rory headed towards her bus stop, the last quote from her paper springing to mind as she turned and went back into the diner.

"Did you miss the bus?" Lorelai asked.

"No, I forgot to do something." She kissed Lorelai good-bye, then reached over the counter to hug Luke. "Bye."

Luke and Lorelai looked at each other, surprised, as Rory exited the diner.

Love was definitely thicker than blood.


End file.
